Monday, January 30, 2012

Feeding the Hungry

Wow! What a week it has been! It was a blessing to go to the March for Life last week (has it already been a week since the March in D.C.?), but it's always a challenge to get home from a short/long trip and get back into the routine. I felt like last week I was playing "catch up" after I got home, especially since life never stands still when you go away for a bit!

This afternoon our homeschool group volunteered again with a local inner city homeless ministry. Our homeschool group provides food and serves the food whenever there is a 5th Sunday in the month. There are volunteers every Sunday at a well-known spot downtown and our homeschool group was blessed to be a part of the food preparation and serving today. We had adults and children ranging from age 7 to teens helping out, including my three oldest "cupcakes" and myself. After the preacher talked with the men, women, and children during an informal church service under an open-air pavilion, they were invited to eat a warm, home-made meal provided by many families and volunteers.

Today we made and served Southwest Chicken and here is the recipe (sorry I forgot to take pictures of this yummy and easy dish)

The chicken can be cooked the day before in a crock pot or that morning on the stove.

Place chicken breasts in a crock pot and add 1-2 jars of salsa, enough to cover the meat and provide a bit extra. Cook on low for eight hours, until the chicken is done, then shred the the meat with two forks (very easy to do when the chicken has been cooking all day).
Mix in 2-3 cups of cooked rice. Place in disposal serving pan, top liberally with cheese.
Heat through, until cheese is melted.
This recipe is very forgiving. It was originally intended to be burrito filling. You can add in corn or beans, more rice or salsa... whatever you want; it all tastes good. You can also use any precooked chicken that you have- just chop it into small pieces first.

I am always impressed by how friendly and gracious the people are as we feed them. Many of them thank us over and over again for our service. As the volunteers, we are blessed in many ways also by serving in this ministry.
Here are more photos from our afternoon of helping those who always look forward to a warm, home-made meal, a helping hand, and a friendly smile.

Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome

lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me."

Then the upright will say to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you?

When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?"

And the King will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."

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